Spotlight Article:

When Above Average Is Not Good Enough

Let’s imagine two neighboring families on a residential block—the Joneses and the Smiths. Their homes are of comparable size and age, and both are families of four, living typical middle-class lifestyles. ...

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January 01, 1997

Most lighting studies focus on average lighting energy use or on how much energy can be saved by retrofitting large numbers of homes. However, at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), we were interested in finding out how much lighting energy we could save in a single house. [continue reading]

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January 01, 1997

Ten years ago, residential duct leakage testing was nonexistent. Today, it is routine for many energy conservation programs. Everyone has a favorite duct test, and many managers have adapted tests to meet the needs of their particular program. [continue reading]

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September 01, 1996

In the past, submetering home gas appliances has been awkward and expensive. Now the Tokyo Gas Company is testing a new method to gather individual gas appliance consumption data in Tokyo homes. [continue reading]

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September 01, 1996

Which is more convenient? Submetering a house by stringing little electric meters to each circuit, or hooking up a new electric meter that uses math to "disaggregate" the electric use and determine which appliances are being turned on and off? [continue reading]

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July 01, 1996

Built in 1895 as a barracks, the building had been renovated several times over the century. Come 1994, it was serving as an office building. Deep in its cool basement sat a black briefcase, connected to power, with wires running to electrical panels and the boiler room. [continue reading]